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Galactica has several flight training rooms reserved for training of new pilots and practice sessions for her more seasoned Warriors. In the case of training new pilots, these facilities allow for the honing of daggit-fighting skills without any danger of serious injury or damage to military hardware.
One room is fitted with a bank of computers that can be used to display the HUD (Heads-Up Display) configuration of the Viper and familiarize new pilots with the sensitive controls of the fighter.
A more hands-on approach is introduced later in the training program. A partial mock-up of the cockpit and exterior of the Viper is used to teach the combat skills that will be needed to stay alive in the frenetic environment of a space battle.
On one occasion, the majority of Galactica's pilots are unable to perform their patrol duties due to a contagion. A small group of shuttle pilots needs to be trained in order to replace the Fleet's defenses. The Viper simulator proves effectively how dangerous a live combat situation can when Athena "kills" Starbuck (TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I").
Notes
- The Viper simulator is clearly the actual cockpit mockup used for shots in the show.
- The back projection screen with the star field may also be the one used in production. A projection screen was used for cockpit shots (rather than a blue screen) allowing the actors to see some of the action they were reacting to.
- The training room with the computers may also serve as a ready room for fully trained pilots, as in the Re-imagined Series. The re-imagined battlestar Pegasus is equipped with flight simulators (TRS: "Scar").